Hyperactivity in adults is a condition that actively affects concentration, memory and behavior. Symptoms include inattention, impulsivity, excessive mobility, and lack of focus. Experienced specialists are able to diagnose hyperactivity syndrome in childhood, but it is not always possible to identify it due to the nature of each individual. So, many adults are not even aware of the problem.
Activity: where is the edge and from where is it formed?
If in physical education lessons energy gets a positive assessment from the teacher, then in the workplace a mature person is required to adhere to competence, politeness and moral standards of behavior in society. Expressed restlessness is perceived as initiative, but it also negatively affects the life of the individual.
The exact cause of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorderin adults is unknown, but it is noted that the condition often manifests itself at the genetic level. Clinical psychology studies also show differences in the brain activity of patients.
There are also a number of possible factors that can influence the onset of the syndrome:
- Premature baby. Early delivery.
- Low birth weight.
- Abuse of alcohol, smoking, drugs during pregnancy.
A common misconception remains that energetic kids outgrow hyperactivity disorder. In fact, there is no calm period, since symptoms appear in adulthood. Among students, there is a trend of poor performance due to the inability to focus on educational material, which leads to difficulties in obtaining an education. Hyperactivity in adults occurs everywhere, regardless of intellectual abilities and communication skills.
A neurobehavioral disorder affects a person's daily functioning in a variety of settings. The syndrome is clearly expressed in personal relationships, where patients complain about the infantility of the partner, as well as in society, when it seems that colleagues, friends and acquaintances are too slow.
It is important to adhere to the right treatment, which will help you further fit into the norms of society. Strategies are currently being developed for the treatment of hyperactivity in adults to cope with life's difficulties, problems and unforeseen situations that awaiton every corner.
Features of the body
Genetic predisposition is one of the popular causes of the disorder, but not the only one. It is more correct to point out that hyperactivity in an adult is influenced by a combination of factors, the roots of which originate from different features.
Modern research shows a number of differences in brain activity between people with the disorder and those without the disease. The scan performed shows a decrease in some areas and, conversely, an increase in others. This is primarily due to the fact that the syndrome indicates an existing imbalance in the level of neurotransmitters in the brain, which leads to insufficient performance of chemicals in the human body.
Other factors
Some groups are thought to be at greater risk of hyperactivity as adults, especially if they have other problems:
- Anxiety disorder. Stressful situations make you anxious, nervous, and increase your heart rate, causing dizziness, sweating, or physical changes in the form of exhaustion with insufficient strictness to eat regularly.
- Defiant Oppositional Disorder. Negative, impulsive behavior. It manifests itself, in particular, to authoritative figures: parents, superiors, leader, curator, dean.
- Conduct disorder. Antisocial actions that are contrary to moral standards. People who engage in destructive behavior oftenassociated with theft, fighting, vandalism, and can also cause physical harm to a person or animal.
- Depression. Depressed state, apathy, indifference to surrounding experiences.
- Sleep problems. Inability to relax, insomnia.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder. Affects social interaction, communication, interests and behavior.
- Bronchial hyperactivity syndrome. It occurs more frequently in adults than in children. A characteristic symptom is a persistent cough, especially in summer. If the bronchi do not work properly, not only oxygen enters them, but also dust settles, substances that irritate the mucous membrane.
- Epilepsy. A state in which there is an effect on brain processes. The person may experience uncontrollable convulsions or faint.
- Tourette syndrome. A disorder in the nervous system characterized by constant motor tics and involuntary noises. For example, a person may jerk their head, whistle, or swear intemperately at the same time.
- Difficulties in mastering the material. Dyslexia is characteristic - the inability to concentrate on reading or write down words so that the letters do not mix during the process.
If one or more factors are present, the risk of detecting hyperactivity disorder in adults increases. To identify the disorder, you should contact a specialist. Treatment is prescribed on an individual basis.
Signs of disease
The main symptoms of ADHD in adults are inattention,excessive energy and impulsiveness. Often they go beyond the limits of permissible possibilities and greatly tire the human body, as well as the people around them, causing headaches, apathy or satiety with communication. In this case, the patient's activity can abruptly turn into an aggressive mood. Some clinical psychologists erroneously refer to the syndrome as bipolar disorder, which shares similar features.
The symptoms of hyperactivity in adults should be studied further to make sure that the disease is present.
Examples of inattention can be:
- Unable to focus on a task for long periods of time.
- Poor attention to detail.
- Disorganized. For example, the inability to regularly keep a diary or diary.
- Distractedness, forgetfulness.
- Fast switching of attention from one to another.
- Putting things off.
- Unreliable work habits.
- Indifference to meeting scheduling, frequent rescheduling.
- Last-minute work: force majeure, the night before the deadline.
- Dreamy, immersion in an imaginary world.
- Inability to manage one's own time wisely.
There are cases when signs of hyperactivity in adults did not prevent them from concentrating on hobbies and hobbies, but inattention returned at the moment when interest in the activity disappeared. Boredom is the main motivator to switch attention to another object, therefore, inconstancy was also revealed in leisure activities.
It is not uncommon for people with the disorder to act impulsively, such as:
- Failure to listen to the end.
- Quit things without finishing them.
- Inability to calculate the consequences of one's actions.
- Continuous money problems due to unexpected expenses.
- Taking on too many tasks to prove superiority.
- Frequent job changes due to boredom and monotony.
- Using drugs or alcohol.
- Temperamental character, including irritability, rapid transition to a state of aggression.
Symptoms of hyperactivity in adults include:
- Excitement, frequent experiences.
- Restlessness.
- No sense of danger.
- Rapid thoughts, inability to relax before going to bed in a stressful situation or problem.
- Lack of long concentration on one subject.
- Unable to queue and wait.
- Constant talk, inability to keep secrets.
It is not uncommon for a person experiencing all of these problems to face difficulties in social interaction with others. Constant stressful situations, the desire to put in a rigid framework and forcibly teach discipline is perceived by the patient impulsively. Therefore, you should follow the recommendations of a specialist: undergo therapy or take medication.
Positives
Quite often adult hyperactivity syndrome leads to alcohol or drug abuse. There have been cases of accidents while intoxicated, when a person gets behind the wheel impulsively, wanting to prove the case or escape from problems.
However, hyperactivity is not painted exclusively in dark colors, but has a number of advantages. These include:
- High energy.
- Creative problem solving.
- Increased empathy, intuition and insight.
- Good sense of humor.
- Enterprise.
- Boundless perseverance.
- Focus on your favorite hobby.
Disease diagnosis
There is no single test that indicates hyperactivity in an adult, but with the help of an experienced specialist, it will be possible to find out about the presence or absence of a disorder. The diagnostic process may consist of one or more approaches:
- Psychological tests. They determine the features of thinking, the type of temperament and the tendency to destructive behavior.
- Questions about childhood. Freud argued that in the first years of life one can discover a number of distinctive features and identify the causes of congenital or acquired moral injuries.
- Interviewing a partner, close friend or parent about the patient's behavior.
- Physical examination. Includes heart testing, blood work, and cortical scan.
- Review of documents. School certificates, thanks.
It is not uncommon fordiagnosis indicates the presence of hyperactivity in the early years. However, the incompetence of specialists or the inattention of parents confronts an adult with a shocking reality many years later.
Thus, the syndrome affects various spectrums of life, including:
- Difficulties in relationships with loved ones or lack of friends.
- Failure at work or school.
- Dangerous driving situations.
- Difficulties in love. Constant change of partners.
It is important to consider that if there are several signs of hyperactivity in adults, the disorder does not necessarily need to be diagnosed. Only with the help of an individual approach, taking into account all the characteristics of the individual, it is possible to draw an objective conclusion about the state.
Treatments
Medicine has advanced a long time ago, and modern specialists in clinical psychology can boast of limitless practice experience behind them. With an understanding of similar situations accumulated over the centuries, they have developed a number of effective methods to learn how to treat hyperactivity in adults and help them enjoy life. It is not recommended to self-diagnose and try to get rid of the disorder.
Medicated treatment
Medications are recognized as the most effective way, as they can reduce manifestations of impulsivity, help focus and reduce energy levels. Studies show improvements in patients in twoout of three cases. However, a person may be denied the use of drugs because of past substance or drug abuse. Worried about repeating the situation, doctors resort to other methods.
Therapy Sessions
Approaches to address hyperactivity in adults often involve a combination of methods. The patient is simultaneously referred for behavioral therapy and a prescription for drugs. Treatment takes place exclusively taking into account individual problems:
- Workouts for relaxation and stress management. Reduce anxiety and stress.
- Private Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy for Self-Esteem.
- Mentoring. Helps maintain business relationships and improves workplace productivity.
- Family Therapy.
- Teaching a person strategies for organizing home and work activities.
When the early stages of hyperactivity are identified, the behavior can be resolved as soon as possible, but if the situation is ignored, the degree of complexity of the disorder can increase, and treatment will take many years. With quick intervention, adults can get rid of psychological difficulties and emotional outbursts.
Moving On: Tips and Tricks
The disease, which cannot be eliminated by surgery, often shocks patients. So, the most common causes of hyperactivity in adults are a genetic predisposition or the presence of an adjacent disease that increases the risk of developingdisorders such as Tourette's syndrome or depression. Nevertheless, life does not stand still and moves inexorably forward. Clinical psychologists provide a range of tips to help you stay calm and reduce your symptoms.
- Planning the day. The distribution of tasks helps to focus on their implementation. The to-do list may seem like a pointless exercise, but it helps you know what to expect in the present. For example, a person needs to create a project, but only with the help of structured steps will he be able to complete the task as effectively as possible.
- Objective reward. The main sources of treatment are motivation and praise. The patient is advised to tune in to positive behavior and reward himself with purchases, favorite activities that will not harm his he alth. For example, it could be a trip to the cinema or a walk in your favorite park. Even for completing one of the items in the diary, it is important not to forget to say to yourself a simple “well done.”
- Exercise. Physical activity is an effective way to reduce the level of hyperactivity during the day. Giving classes for at least half an hour a day, a person will not only be able to use excess energy, but also increase tone, pump up muscles and normalize the quality of sleep. Sport involves moderate activity and therefore, during exercise, you should not exceed your own physical capabilities.
- Diet. Get rid of caffeine and other nervous stimulantssystems. Some foods also have a similar effect, toning the mind and increasing energy. It is recommended to make a balanced, he althy menu. Experts advise getting a notebook where a person will write down the main foods that he ate during the day.
- Relax before bed. It is not uncommon for people with hyperactivity to suffer from insomnia because they cannot calm down. Noisy parties, computer games or watching an action movie negatively affect the rest. Patients are encouraged to stick to a routine a few hours before bedtime, and to go to bed and wake up at the same time.
In the modern world, hyperactivity is not a sentence for any person. By following the advice of clinical psychologists, properly diagnosing and adhering to the course of treatment, it is possible to live with the disorder and get rid of it in the future.
